Saturday, August 18, 2012

Please help Singapore Cyclists Plead to PM

If you feel strongly about more needs to be done. Pls send ur concerns, fears and message here. This is my message to our PM.

From: woon taiwoon
Subject: Please help Singapore Cyclists safety plead
Date: August 18, 2012 PM 04:11:37 GMT+08:00
To: lee_hsien_loong@pmo.gov.sg
Cc: Francis Chu , Lim George , Andy Yap
We are a group of avid cyclists who enjoy cycling and exploring our local neighbourhood.  Our group is called Lovecyclingsg and it is a lovely social gathering every sunday morning. Please have a look at the folks who join us for a ride.  We have a motto which is E.R.P = Eat. Ride. Photo http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.sg/2011/03/kranji-ride-27th-march-2011-photo.html
Cycling is really nice and enables us to explore many places which we didn't even know existed. Like the sembawang hotsprings for example. I am glad to see that our cycling community is growing and having a strong Kampong spirit.  Last count we have over 2000 Facebook members and it is quite a task to keep up with the postings and activities.
As I got more involved with cycling community building, I begin also to take more notice about the lack of attention for the cyclists safety. We as lovecyclingsg have been actively trying to improve our cyclist's odds by sharing more information, conducting safety clinic.  We also wrote to Ministry of Transport and LTA to ask that more be done for cyclists safety and share on the cyclists plight.
http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.sg/2012/05/letter-to-mot.html  << this is the email message to MOT .We also have had a first meeting with LTA on the 2nd July and there is not reply from them. I don't know what more to do which is why I am writing to you directly.
Today early morning, 3 cyclists was hit by a lorry at Loyang road. One of the rider name is Freddy Khoo. I don't know him personally but I was told he didn't not make it. He leaves behind a wife and son. This is what is left of his bicycle.
Sir, I appeal to you. Please help make the roads safe for cyclists.
regards
Taiwoon
for lovecyclingsg
regards
Taiwoon
for lovecyclingsg




16 comments:

  1. Thanks Taiwoon for writing in. I add in my part as following:
    -----------------
    Dear Sir,

    I concur with Taiwoon's call for safety of cyclists (and pedestrians). Too many active and healthy lives has been taken away from Singapore roads.

    LovecyclingSG consists of people who love to cycle, many also drive cars. While driving and cycling on Singapore roads we discovered good opportunities to make our roads safer for all roads users. Following the advice from MOT, we shared several low cost, high impact ideas (Attached pdf file) with LTA on July 2nd. But after emails and phone reminders we have not yet received any reply on what can be done.

    As active citizen we are eager to contribute our time and experience to make Singapore better. Cycling around give us opportunity to better connect with our neighbourhood and appreciate where we live. We are inspired by a stronger sense of belong and want to make it even better.

    I sincerely hope LTA, while leading the way for motorized transport (MRT & Car), can also seriously look into the opportunities offered by non-motorized land transport (walking and cycling).

    Your sincerely,

    Chu Wa (Francis)

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  2. Such sad news to all cyclist out there, my condolences to Freddy Khoo's family. Accidents like this should have never happened, especially in SG road.

    -isaac976

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    Replies
    1. Hi Issaac, I agree and it saddens me to know it happens. And NO mention of this in the SG paper or media?
      More must be done to protect the cyclists rights.

      Delete
  3. I personally know Freddy. It's a tragic beyond words, not only for me but also for many others who know him. Not only his company lost a great general, Singapore as well because of his profession and contribution. While I agree safety is also one's responsibility, Singapore can only be considered an inclusive society that we wish to develop, when we start to look at such situations and cases before it happens. Only when you care then you would prevent, when you rectify after it happens, it is just simply trying to fulfill your duty.
    If my thoughts are shared, I hope Singaporeans will join in to voice out because you may not know whether the next incident will be you or someone close to you.
    My personal message to Mr. Lee, our prime minister, please act on behalf of your people's wish if indeed you are the People's Action Party.

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  4. The driver fell asleep and crashed into Freddy Khoo, my good old friend. He's a PRC !

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  5. My condolences to Freddy's family.

    I'm a cyclist myself and I completely agree that Singapore roads (especially day time) is really unsafe for cyclists. Many drivers on the road don't look out for cyclists and I have been in near accidents myself over the past few years while on the road and was very lucky to have avoided these near misses.

    It goes to show how many of our drivers are not educated of the safety of pedestrians, especially cyclists who have as much right of way as a motorcar on the road.

    It irks me to know that our government is doing little to help.

    Yes, no doubt there are park connectors nowadays and it seems safer for cyclists, it's usually a much longer route compared to straight roads.

    While I don't know what else can be done, I do hope the government can consider setting aside a small lane along major roads as we get to see more and more cyclists on the roads. This might keep them safe and keep motorcars away from the cyclists.

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  6. Is this going to receive any attention at all? It's amazing how little is done despite the authorities having access to records of such accidents occurring!

    There are errant drivers & a fair share of errant riders too! On the same morning along Coastal Road, I see riders riding 3 abreast & fellow rider of mine had to tell them off when we need to overtake them. I can understand how drivers irks at such behaviors while the very same sentiments a rider feels when vehicles speed past within arms length!

    To prevent accidents is almost impossible but efforts to make the roads safer will surely minimize accidents. The responsibility to keep the road safe does not reside with just the drivers or riders as the authorities play more an overwhelming role to define the rules & regulations & seeing the enforcement of such.

    Is it not possible to close one of the lanes, say from 5am to 10am every weekend, to allow cyclists to ride with peace of mind? I am sure this will not cause major delays or disruptions to drivers during off-peak hours to use a single lane over a regulated stretch of road? Some traffic flow study & planning could certainly address this if the authorities are willing to commit to the cause. The same approach can be applied to other popular cycling routes or perhaps the authorities can later make recommendations of designated routes for cyclists. We, riders, are certainly more accommodating noting that we are wrapping ourselves over "steel/carbon" & are definitely more delicate than those with steel wrapped over them! It's not a case if cyclists are not paying road tax, a large promotion of cyclists are properly paying higher taxes than the drivers using these routes. So for less-informed & insensitive readers/drivers, bite your tongue & save your comments, cyclists have equal rights to commute in this country we all commonly call our Home!

    We are just asking for a space of 1.5m across & for a more considerate use of the road!

    Ride safe, drive safe & be safe!

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  7. Every time I read something like this it saddens me deeply... And it seems to be happening more and more often recently. My condolences to Freddy's family...

    I cycle to work as well as for exercise everyday and although I try my absolute best to adhere to the rules, I am now actually scared for my life because this is not an issue of an errant cyclist... More and more experienced law abiding cyclists are suffering because of errant drivers... Is human life not precious enough for the government to do something about it? Yes cycling safely and respecting the rules is our responsibility, but a lot of these accidents are largely influenced by factors outside of our control! Getting hit from behind by a sleeping/dreaming driver is one of the many examples of such factors.

    I personally think that any road with 2 or more lanes should have the first lane marked as a Bus and Bicycle lane(BBL). These BBLs can be active only during certain hours such as from 12midnight-5am on weekdays and maybe 12am-12pm on weekends. Whatever the hours are, my point is there ARE hours in every single day that roads are virtually empty, and it will not disrupt traffic if the government gave us 1 entire lane on those roads during those periods. And if not all roads, at least the popular cycling routes. We cyclists already by default pick relatively empty routes to cycle anyway... It is a process of making 1 new law, 1 law to protect thousands of lives...

    Just a deeply saddened man's opinion...

    Ride safe everyone

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    Replies
    1. It is just sad. And for ur idea of Bus and bicycle lane. This was also proposed to LTA when we met them on 2nd July 2012. We pressed them for answer, action plan or even a minutes of the meeting... Till now, there was none. This is why I wrote to PM Lee

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    2. My heart really boils upon the unwillingness of LTA and Minister Lui to response to you. Perhaps it about time we take concrete action such as collecting 100,000 signatures or more and pass it to the PM as a petition else we can continue talking whilst our fellow cyclists life and limps are lost on our road.

      Delete
  8. Today saw Dr. Ibrahim from MOT, MP Irene Ng, Mr. Shanmugan each made comments about the accident and road safety...hope the politicians attention on this issue is not just incidental...

    I have wrote in to TP suggesting review the process of issuing vocational driving license to foreign workers, let's see..

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    Replies
    1. I sincerely hope that things will turn for the better for cyclists. Time will tell but we need to engage and be positive too.

      Delete
  9. The post is saying that please let Singapore cyclists plead for better road safety

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. I commute on my bicycle with my family daily. Pedestrian, cyclist and drivers need just one common word, that is "respect" and unpleasant incident could be minimized.

    The fastest on the path should (must) always give way to the slowest, no matter who is at right or wrong.

    This is something which PM, Government nor LTA cant help much IMO. It takes a uniform society to have this culture but sadly, I don't find it here in Singapore.

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